U.S. may cut troop level in Japan
TOKYO, Japan (CNN) -- The United States is considering reducing its military presence in Japan, and is specifically looking at pulling some troops out of Okinawa, the top U.S. military official in the country told CNN Monday.
The changes would come amid a realignment that Japan is undertaking to alter its strategy in the region, said Lt. Gen. Thomas Waskow, commander of U.S. forces in the country.
Japan recognizes it faces "three major threats," Waskow said, North Korea, China and international terrorism.
U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld has instructed the U.S. military to consider various proposals for its future in Japan, Waskow said
When asked if that would mean a reduction of forces, he responded, "It's possible. In fact, we're looking at reducing the burden in Okinawa in particular."
About half of the 58,000 U.S. troops in Japan are on the island of Okinawa, southwest of mainland Japan.
"As soon as (Rumsfeld) decides which of the proposals he's going to accept, then we'll present those to the Japanese government and we'll take a look at what the future might look like," he said.
Although Waskow cast the idea as a sign of changing times, it would follow years of intense pressure from residents and leaders of Okinawa.
The relationship between U.S. troops and people in Okinawa was severely strained by a series of events, including three separate cases of rape involving members of the U.S. military.
Three U.S. servicemen were convicted of raping a 12-year-old schoolgirl in Okinawa in 1995. Japanese courts convicted a member of the U.S. Air Force on charges of raping a woman in 2001 and another serviceman of raping a woman in 2003.
Relations also suffered in 2001 when the top U.S. military official in Okinawa called local officials "nuts" and "a bunch of wimps" in an internal e-mail that was leaked to local media. He apologized and said he had been frustrated over a specific incident.
Also in 2001, a U.S. submarine collided with a Japanese training ship off the coast of Hawaii, killing nine on the Japanese ship and further damaging relations between the two countries.
But in the wake of the September 11, 2001, attacks, Japan provided "incredible" support, and there have been no signs of cracks in the alliance, Waskow told CNN. Japan also has deployed troops to Iraq.
Still, in 2003, Okinawa's governor demanded U.S. forces leave the island.
In addition to the major events that have hurt relations with troops, many on the island complained of daily inconveniences, including noise from U.S. military aircraft.
Top Japanese officials have said discussions are under way to change the U.S. presence in Japan. Foreign Minister Nobutake Machimura told reporters in October his government wanted to ease the "excessive burden" that the U.S. military presence on Okinawa poses for the Japanese who live there.
Waskow did not say how soon a specific plan may be presented.
